In this activity, you will have the opportunity to practice identifying arguments. You will have had practice making arguments as part of your course paper and this is an important academic skill that will take you through the rest of your academic career.
There are three parts in this activity, and you are required to read each passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. While working on this worksheet, consider the types of arguments you make in your own paper.
Part 1:
“Most health care practitioners accept that mental conditions are diseases. Nonetheless,
mental conditions are not really diseases. If a condition is a disease, then that condition
involves a distinctive biological problem that would show up on an autopsy table.
However, mental conditions do not involve distinctive biological problems that would
show up on an autopsy table.”
1. Does this passage contain an argument? Explain your answer to this question.
Yes, the passage does contain an argument. The text provides reasons for the reader to believe the claim that mental illnesses are diseases.
2. If the passage contains an argument, what are the argument’s premises and
conclusion? Explain your answer to this question.
The premise is that diseases involve distinctive biological problems that would show up on an autopsy table. Conclusions are because mental illness does not involve distinctive biological problems that would show up on an autopsy table, it should not be considered a disease by most healthcare practitioners.
The passage is proving that mental conditions are not diseases and should not be categorised as such. What disease is and how it would show up in a health setting was first defined and because mental conditions do not fit into the definitions provided by the author they concluded that the initial claim is true.
3. If the passage contains an argument, is it an inductive, abductive, or deductive
argument? Explain your answer to this question.
The argument is abductive. The writer makes assumptions about what health care professionals believe. Diseases are defined as something that would show up on an autopsy table. The passage relies on logic and the relative strength of its premises and conclusion to prove its claim true.
Part 2:
“Acupuncture is undoubtedly effective. I had a friend who suffered from unexplained
chronic pain. She tried all sorts of medications and treatment, and nothing helped.
Eventually, she tried acupuncture and afterwards the pain stopped. The only reasonable
explanation for this is that acupuncture really does work.”
1. Does this passage contain an argument? Explain your answer to this question.
Yes, it does contain an argument, the passage provides reasons for the reader to believe that acupuncture does work.
2. If the passage contains an argument, what are the argument’s premises and
conclusion? Explain your answer to this question.
The premise is that because a friend’s chronic pain had not been cured by any other intervention but acupuncture the conclusion that acupuncture does work and that the claim acupuncture is undoubtedly effective is true.
The passage is proving that acupuncture is effective since it worked, and all other medicines and treatments did not for the chronic pain that the friend was dealing with.
3. If the passage contains an argument, is it an inductive, abductive, or deductive
argument? Explain your answer to this question.
The argument is inductive. It is based on individual experiences and the generalisation is then made that acupuncture does work. No evidence is given for the claim and no research was done to support the claim.
Part 3:
“A study of 72 obese patients with Type 2 diabetes who underwent gastric bypass
operation shows that 66 patients (92 percent) had a reversal of their diabetes; however,
14 (21 percent) of the 66 patients experienced a recurrence of their diabetes. So, gastric
bypass surgery is likely to reverse Type 2 diabetes, but it is also quite likely that the
diabetes will recur.”
1. Does this passage contain an argument? Explain your answer to this question.
Yes, the passage does contain an argument, it is proving the effects of gastric bypass surgery on diabetes.
2. If the passage contains an argument, what are the argument’s premises and
conclusion? Explain your answer to this question.
The premise is A study of 72 obese patients with Type 2 diabetes who underwent gastric bypass operation shows that 66 patients (92 percent) had a reversal of their diabetes; however, 14 (21 percent) of the 66 patients experienced a recurrence of their diabetes.
The conclusion is gastric bypass surgery is likely to reverse Type 2 diabetes, but it is also quite likely that the diabetes will recur.
The passage provides research shows how the conclusion was made on the effects of gastric bypass surgery on diabetes.
3. If the passage contains an argument, is it an inductive, abductive or deductive
argument? Explain your answer to this question.
The passage is deductive. The premises is supported by evidence. The conclusion was based on scientific research.
References:
The work taught in class.
I TRIED TO UPLOAD THE FILES HOWEVER THEY ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY WIX SO I ADDED THE LINK.
If the typography is not coming off well, I have attached the Word document below.
Comments